Why do so many Chicago suburbs classify themselves as a village rather than a town or a city?

The Illinois Municipal Code of 1872 recognizes two forms of municipalities: a city and a village. Prior to 1872, a third form was recognized: an incorporated town. Any town incorporated prior to 1872 may remain an incorporated town, but the code has generally been amended so that an incorporated town and a village are not significantly different.

There are 20 remaining incoporated towns in Illinois:

Annawan

Astoria

Atkinson

Belle Prairie City (despite its name!)

Bentley

Chatsworth

Cicero

Cortland

Dakota

La Prairie

Mason

Naples

New Canton

Nilwood

Normal

Otterville

Palestine

Sigel

Topeka

The Illinois code provides for different forms of government organization and powers for a village vs a city. You also need a smaller area and number of inhabitants to incorporate a village rather than a city. A village can hold a referendum to reincorporate as a city, but doesn't have to, no matter how large it grows.

The municipal code provides that the legal name of every village incorporated since its passage shall be "the Village of ..." and that the official name of every city shall be "the City of ...."

In response to the misinformation presented in the next answer:

A "township" is yet another form of local government in 84 of Illinois's 102 counties. Townships usually contain one or more villages and/or cities and unincorporated areas. There are 30 townships in Cook County. Chicago was once divided up into townships, but they were abolished in 1902. Cicero is a unique situation: the Town of Cicero and the Township of Cicero are the same.

The confusion may come from the fact that townships and villages often have the same name. For example, there is a Village of Northfield. The Village of Northfield is contained in Northfield Township. Northfield Township is much larger than the Village of Northfield and also contains Glenview, Northbrook, and unincorporated areas. The Village President is Fred Gougler. The chief executive of Northfield Township is Jill A. Brickman.

You can see a map of Cook County townships on the Illinois Secretary of State's web site here:

http://tinyurl.com/45twp

You'll notice that the map includes the now-defunct former townships of Chicago.

You can find the official list of cities, villages, and incorporated towns on the Secretary of State's web site here:

http://tinyurl.com/4chnh5z

Your example, Glen Ellyn, is listed as a village on page 459.

The Village of Glen Ellyn is located in Milton Township which is located in DuPage County.

Here is an FAQ put out by the Civic Federation about township government in Cook County:

http://tinyurl.com/4paphpm

That municipality code doesn't apply to suburbs, but rather to podunk towns outside of the Chicagoland area. Suburbs, while they may call themselves "villages," are actually townships. "Village" just sounds nicer than township.

hollywood nights - bob segar and the silver bullet band scarborough honest - simon and garfunkel time out to bangor - fiddlers dram harper valley pta - jeannie c riley the son of hickory hollows tramp - o c smith spanish harlem - ben e king on broadway - the drifters memphis tennesee - chuck berry

not sure but I find the burbs beyond boring myself.

We're cool like that.